High-pressure container



May 13, 196,9 F. BREMER ET AL 3,443,631

HIGH-PRESSURE CONTAINER Filed Aug. 27, 1964 sheet of 2 FIG] Ferdi han dPre mer Toachim Heyer May 13, 1969 MREMER mL 3,443,631

HIGH-PRESSURE CONTAINER Filed Aug. 27. 1964 sheet Z of 2 Inventors:

Fer din an d Bremer Toa chim Neyer Unite The present invention relatesto containers for high inner pressure, especially pressure containersfor core reactors.

It is an object of the present invention economically so to designcontainers for high inner pressure that the inner pressure will not onlybe safely absorbed but that also damages due to the special propertiesof the container contents will be safely avoided.

lt is another object of this invention to provide a container as setforth in the preceding paragraph which can be readily constructed atrelatively low costs.

These and other objects and advantagesl of the invention will appearmore clearly from the following specification in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l illustrates a vertical section through a cylindrical pressurecontainer according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross section through a spherical pressure containeraccording to the present invention.

With pressure containers, especially for core reactors, it is offoremost importance that the wall of the container is suiciently strong,particularly in view of the great diameter involved of, for instance,2() meters, in combination with the high inner pressure of7 for instance50 atmospheres above atmospheric pressure-with smaller diameters evenpressure up to 150 atmospheres above atmospheric pressure may beinvolved. In addition thereto, a complete shielding against radioactiverays must be assured and any harmful influence of the temperatures inthe container, especially upon the steel wires of the pre-stressedconcrete, must be avoided. To take in consideration the above mentionedcircumstances would, with heretofore customary designs of pressurecontainers of pre-stressed concrete, require considerably thick wallsand would result in an uneconomical construction. While avoiding suchuneconomical construction and realizing the above objects, the containeraccording to the present invention is characterized in that thecontainer wall is composed of at least an outer shell of pre-stressedconcrete, of an inner shell by means of which harmful effects of thecontainer contentsexcept the pressure effectare kept away from the outershell, and as the case may be from the surroundings outside said outershell, and of a filling of liquid of low compressibility interposedbetween said two shells, means being provided which are adapted toconvey the pressure in the interior of the container onto said fillingwithout subjecting the inner shell to stresses.

Expediently, a cooling system is provided within said filling. The meansfor conveying the pressure from the interior of the container onto saidfilling, preferably consists of at least a passage in the inner shelland a diaphragm adapted to close said passage. The inner shell isformed, for instance, by a cover of temperature nonsensitive protectivematerial such as concrete of high heat resistance, and by a cover ofheat insulating material for instance ceramic or tuff surrounding saidfirst mentioned cover.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the pressure States mem licecontainer illustrated in FIG. l has an outer cylindrical shell 1 ofpre-stressed concrete. Provided in said outer shell 1 are steel wires 2which impart upon the concrete the required pre-stress in tangentialdirection. The inner chamber of the container is confined by acylindrical wall 3 of concrete of high heat resistance. This concrete,which, as the case may be, is particularly heavy and rich in hydrogen,serves for shielding against radioactive rays. Wall 3 has its outsidesurrounded by a wall 4 of heat insulating material as, for instance,ceramic or tuff. Each, the inner wall 3 and the outside of wall 4 iscovered by a skin S and 6 respectively of steel sheet metal. These metalsheets serveV as gas and liquid seal. Moreover, they may also serve asmold when preparing wall 3, 4.

Between outer shell 1 of pre-stressed concrete and the inner shellformed by walls 3 and 4, there is provided a cylindrical chamber 7 whichis completely filled with water and contains cooling pipes 8 leading atthe upper end of chamber 7 toward the outside for connection with acooling system.

The inner chamber C of the container communicates with the intermediatechamber 7 between the two shells by at least one passage 9 which has twobends and extends through wall 3 and also through wall 4. The mouth ofpassage 9 in chamber 7 is closed by a diaphragm 10, which transmits thepressure from the inner chamber C to the intermediate chamber 7.Furthermore the diaphragm 10 prevents any exchange of media between theinner chamber C and the intermediate chamber 7. The passage 9 incooperation with the diaphragm 10 causes the existence of equalpressures in the inner chamber C and the intermediate chamber 7. The topand bottom of said container are closed by inwardly arched sphericalsegments 11 and 12 respectively of concrete. These segments are providedwith linings 13 and 14 respectively of heat insulating material as forinstance ceramic. Lining 14 is designed as load distributing pressurelayer. A conduit 15 extends through an opening of the container and isadapted to be connected to means for gas feeding. Outer shell 1 is inaxial direction thereof pre-stressed by vertically extending steel wires16. Near the ends 0f shell 1, the concrete is provided with passages 17for cooling air.

The pressure prevailing in the container is conveyed to the water inchamber 7 by channel 9 or, as the case may be, by a plurality of suchchannels in the interior wall 3 and the heat insulating wall 4 incooperation with a diaphragm or diaphragms 10. Since, therefore, apressure equalization is effected between the inner and outer sides ofthe inner shell formed by walls 3 and 4, this shell will not besubjected to the pressure of operation of the reactor. This pressure israther absorbed solely `by the outer pre-stressed concrete shell 1inasmuch as it is this shell 1 onto which said pressure is con veyed bythe water filling in chamber 7. Consequently, by means of steel wires 2,such a pre-stress of the concrete in shell 1 is produced that at themaximum pressure of operation occurring in the reactor, a suflicientcompressive stress remains in the concrete.

Inasmuch as the pre-stressing wires 2 and 16 are located exclusively inthe outer concrete shell 1, they are not exposed to any undesiredtemperature influences. This is aided on one hand by the heat insulatingwall 4 which limits the temperature drop in Wall 3, for instance to 50C., and on the other hand, the heat transfer-red to the water filling isconducted away by means of cooling pipes 8.

Chamber 7 between the outer and inner shells may, instead of beingfilled with water, also be filled with ana other liquid as for instanceoil. Water is particularly advantageous inasmuch as it represents a goodheat con ductor and, moreover, acts as brake for neutrons.

The ball-shaped container according to FIG. 2 is principally built up inthe same `way as the cylindrical con tainer of FIG. 1. The outer shell18 is formed by a hollow ball of pre-stressed concrete. The lowerportion of said hollow ball merges with a base 19, whereas the upperportion merges with a connecting piece 20 for a filling device for thereactor. The concrete of this shell contains a network of steel wires 21crossing each other for obtaining a pre-stress. The tensioning heads 22of said wires 21 are accessible from the outside. The inner shell isformed by a hollow ball 23 of concrete of high heat resistance and of aball-shaped wall 24 surrounding said hollow ball `23 and made ofinsulating material as, for instance ceramic or tuff. The inner side ofhollow ball 23 and the outside of wall 24 are each provided with a skin25, 26 respectively of steel sheet metal. Inner shell 23, 24 rests uponouter shell 18 by means of hearings 27 of corrosion-resistant steel.stabilizing the inner spherical shell, a concrete stud 28 is providedwhich extends from the outer shell 18 with slight play into a recess 29of the inner shell. Again a conduit 15 extends through an opening of thecontainer and is adapted to be connected to means for the gas feeding.

With the ball-shaped container according to FIG. 2, the inner shell 23,24 is in the same manner as the container of FIG. 1 relieved frompressure by the fact that a pressure equalization is effected betweenthe interior of the container and an intermediate chamber 30 providedbetween the outer and inner shells and filled with water. This may beeffected by a pressure control system which from the outside acts uponthe filling of chamber 30. By pipes 31 and 32 respectively the interiorof the container and the intermediate chamber 30 are connected with adifference pressure control gauge 33. Any difference in pressure in theinterior of the container and the chamber 30 is transmitted to a commandunit 34. The command unit 34 pilots the pump 3S in such a way that thepressures are kept in equilibrium. The pump 35 is connected with thestorage unit 36. Chamber 30 also has provided therein cooling means 33.Also in this instance, the steel wires 21 for imposing a pre-stress uponthe outer shell 18 are guarded against harmful temperature influences.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by nomeans, limited to the particular constructions shown in the drawings butalso comprises any modifications within the scope of the appendedclaims. Thus, while the present invention has been described inconnection with containers for core reactors, it is expressly to beunderstood that the present invention also applies to reaction vesselsof apparatuses in the chemical industry which have a high inner pressureand require a lining resistant against chemical influences.

What we claim is:

1. A high pressure container, which includes: an outer shell ofprestressed concrete, an inner heat insulating shell arranged inradially spaced relationship to and within said outer shell so as todefine therewith a chamber closed in itself, said chamber being filledwith a liquid, cooling means extending into said liquid filled chamberfor cooling the liquid therein, the inside wall of said inner shell Forpurpose of defining a main chamber, and means communicating with bothsaid inner chamber and said liquid filled chamber for equalizing thepressure in both of said chambers, whereby said inner shell does nothave to absorb the pressure prevailing in said main chamber and saidinner shell need not be of prestressed concrete.

2. A high pressure container according to claim 1, in which the meansfor equalizing the pressure in both of said chambers includes conduitmeans leading from said main chamber through said inner shell to saidliquid filled chamber and also includes diaphragm means extending overthe mouth of said conduit means in said liquid filled chamber.

3. A high pressure container according to claim 1, in which said innershell comprises a first part of high heat resistant material and alsocomprises a second part surrounding said first part and consisting ofheat insulating material.

4. A high pressure container according to claim 1, in which said innerand outer shells are of a cylindrical contour and are closed at theirends by inwardly arched end walls with an inner lining of heatinsulating material.

5. A high pressure container according to claim 1, in which saidcontainer has a ball-shaped contour with the inner and outer shellsthereof interlocked.

6. A high pressure container according to claim 2, in which said conduitmeans leading from said main chamber to said liquid filled chamber isformed by stepped conduit means.

7. A high pressure container according to claim 2, in which said innerheat insulating shell includes: a concrete central wall portion, anouter heat insulating wall portion engaging said central wall portion,and an inner wall portion of sheet metal in engagement with said centralwall portion so that said central wall portion is interposed between andin engagement with said outer heat insulating wall portion and saidinner wall portion.

8. A high pressure container according to claim 7, in which said outerheat insulating wall portion is of ceramic material.

9. A high pressure container according to claim 7, in which said outerheat insulating wall portion is of tuff.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,911,608 5/1933 Davis et al165-135 X 3,175,958 3/1965 Bougade 165-136 X 3,260,020 7/1966 Patin220-13 X 3,301,320 1/1967 Huntington 165-136 X 2,777,295 1/1957 Bliss etal. 62-48 2,995,505 8/1961 Guild.

FOREIGN PATENTS 228,433 10/1959 Australia.

800,388 8/1958 Great Britain.

859,072 1/1961 Great Britain.

861,513 2/1961 Great Britain.

936,198 9/1963 Great Britain.

ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner. ALBERT W. DAVIS, JR., AssistantExaminer.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 62-45; 165-136; 176-52, 87; 220-9, 13

1. A HIGH PRESSURE CONTAINER, WHICH INCLUDES: AN OUTER SHELL OFPRESTRESSED CONCRETE, AN INNER HEAT INSULATING SHELL ARRANGED INRADIALLY SPACED RELATIONSHIP TO AND WITHIN SAID OUTER SHELL SO AS TODEFINE THEREWITH A CHAMBER CLOSED IN ITSELF, SAID CHAMBER BEING FILLEDWITH A LIQUID, COOLING MEANS EXTENDING INTO SAID LIQUID FILLED CHAMBERFOR COOLING THE LIQUID THEREIN, THE INSIDE WALL OF SAID INNER SHELLDEFINING A MAIN CHAMBER, AND MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH BOTH SAID INNERCHAMBER AND SAID LIQUID FILLED CHAMBER FOR EQUALIZING THE PRESSURE INBOTH OF SAID CHAMBERS, WHEREBY SAID INNER SHELL DOES NOT HAVE TO ABSORBTHE PRESSURE PREVAILING IN SAID MAIN CHAMBER AND SAID INNER SHELL NEEDNOT BE OF PRESTRESSED CONCRETE.